When a family crisis brings a tough new reality
When her husband left her without warning, Leah’s world was turned upside down.
Suddenly, this young mother was forced to raise two boys all by herself – with nothing but a meager-paying, part-time job for support.
As the bills began to pile up, so did the worries.
How was Leah going to maintain a roof over their heads? Keep from falling behind on her electric bill? Put food on the dinner table, night after night.
“I didn’t have a Plan B,” Leah admitted through tears.
Burning the candle at both ends
For a while, she found creative ways to stretch every dollar she made. Meals were whatever she could buy in bulk. Ramen noodles. Vegetables. Beans. Dinner time became“breakfast time,” featuring pancakes and eggs because they were “cheap” and “filling.”
Once her kids went to bed, Leah would get on her computer and work late into the night. But you can’t maintain that pace for long, burning the candle at both ends. Eventually, she grew weary of running a household, taking care of two kids AND working as the lone breadwinner in the family.
With nobody to give her a break.
“My mom offers emotional support but she can’t help financially,” Leah said. “I just wish there was somewhere to turn when you don’t have anybody.”
Help…just in the nick of time
Exhausted and losing hope, she googled “Help for needy families” one day and found Metropolitan Ministries. Suddenly, there seemed to be a ray of hope in the middle of her hopelessness. She dropped by our ministry right before the holidays – and got a shopping basket full of surprises. Cereal. Soup. Bread. Pasta. Plus all the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, including a turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, canned vegetables, even pumpkin pie mix.
The kindness of strangers overwhelmed her.
“I don’t know what to say…except thank you,” she stuttered, her eyes filling with tears. “I guess everybody needs help once in a while.”